BICYCLE ILLINOIS
Arrival in Cairo

Arrival in Cairo
If you are meeting us in Cairo, please plan on arriving in time for the main check in and opening meeting.

We estimate that our transportation service from Carbondale to Cairo will arrive at the Cairo main lodging site at approximately 3:00 pm. Unfortunately it is impossible to know exactly when we will arrive in Cairo though since our arrival time depends on when the moving truck is fully loaded and able to depart Carbondale. We will attempt to keep in contact with you to let you know our progress and expected arrival time, but we cannot make any guarantees. However, you may always to call us at the main phone number (877) TOUR-ILL for our estimated time of arrival.

Unless you are getting dropped off in Cairo, you will need to take our transportation service from Carbondale to Cairo before the start of the event because long term parking will not be available in Cairo.

Click Here for more information about our transportation service from Carbondale to Cairo.

We will not offer any on road support services on Saturday. Our first day of supported cycling will be on Sunday.

Historic Cairo Bus Tour
We are pleased to announce that the city of Cairo will be sponsoring a bus tour of historic Cairo, led by Cairo’s resident historian and town librarian Monica Smith as a tour guide directly on the bus. You will have the chance to see the storied history of one of Illinois’ most historic towns directly from one of the people who knows it best and ask her questions. This bus tour is a unique, one of a kind opportunity only available to the participants of Bicycle Illinois and not to any other group!

The bus tour will begin at 3:30 pm from the main lodging site and use the same bus used to transport participants from the Amtrak train station in Carbondale. After the bus arrives in Cairo from Carbondale you will have a chance to get off, stretch your legs, go to the bathroom, etc. at the main lodging site, then you will need to reboard the bus.

The tour will last for two hours and return to the main lodging site at 5:30 pm. After the tour is over we guarantee that you will wish you had more time – there is too much to see!

There will be a $5.00 suggested donation from the city of Cairo for the tour so that they can maintain these historic sights.

Main Check In and Dinner
Dinner will be served directly at our main lodging site instead of at a restaurant because Cairo is the only town in which all our participants will be at the same place at the same time – the main check in and opening meeting – and also means you won’t have to bike to or from dinner.

The main check in will begin at 6:00 pm, and dinner will immediately follow the main check in (we’ll set up the check-in table right before the dinner line)

Main Check In and Dinner
About 15 to 20 minutes after dinner begins we will start our opening meeting as you’re finishing dinner. This will allow you to focus more on the information in the meeting and not be hungry and worry about going to dinner afterwards.

The opening meeting should conclude around 7:30 pm, which will still give you plenty of daylight to set up your tent and sleeping bag or bike back over to the supported hotel and get ready for the ride the next day.

Click Here for more information about our main check in and opening meeting policies and procedures.

Time Frame in Cairo
To recap our plans on Saturday coming into and in Cairo:

1:00 pm

• Participants initially meeting us in Carbondale should meet us at the Amtrak station to load bikes and baggage onto the moving truck

1:45 pm (approx.)

• Amtrak train from Chicago arrives in Carbondale
• All participants get on bus to Cairo
• Bus departs Carbondale for Cairo

3:00 pm (approx.)

• Bus arrives in Cairo at the main lodging site
• Participants who will be doing the Cairo bus tour can get off the bus, go to the bathroom, stretch your legs, etc. then need to reboard the bus
• Participants not doing the Cairo bus tour can set up their tent/sleeping bag, etc. or bike over to the supported hotel

3:30 pm

• Cairo bus tour departs the main lodging site

5:30 pm

• Cairo bus tour arrives back at the main lodging site

6:00 pm

• Main check-in and dinner

6:15 pm (approx.)

• Opening meeting begins

7:30 pm (approx.)

• Opening meeting ends

Limited Services in Cairo
There are a limited amount of services in Cairo so you will need to plan accordingly before you arrive at the start of the event.

Click Here for the facilities and services in Cairo and our contingency plans for each limited service in Cairo.